Under-floor heating has the ability to heat an entire building evenly, which means there won’t be any spots in a room that are too hot or too cold. Choosing to install under-floor heating is a great idea if you don’t have a lot of space for radiators—perhaps in your conservatory—or if you simply don’t want to have pipes on show. It can give your home an innovative feel, with each room having its own circuit and programmable thermostat.
Wet system
A wet under-floor heating system warms the floor by circulating hot water through coiled pipes in a special membrane that is laid during installation. This type of system can be laid beneath stone, tile, wood and carpeted flooring. Due to the complex nature of its installation, it is best fitted with new floor constructions. Any existing floors that are having an under-floor heating system installed will need to be lifted in order to place the insulation, pipes and screed. As well as this, all piping needs to be linked to your boiler—so it can be quite a complicated procedure. Water-based under-floor heating produces a gentle heat that can take up to six hours to heat up and cool down. So if you are after instant heat—especially in bedrooms—it might be more beneficial to have a radiator system that can heat up in within minutes.
Dry system
A dry under-floor heating system does not have any pipes running to your boiler, so installation is much simpler. Instead, a cable system can be laid on top of an existing floor, and covered with almost any type of flooring material. This is a simpler option for those who do not want to go through the hassle of elevating existing flooring. If you enjoy DIY projects, then you may decide to save some money and lay the electric under-floor heating yourself. However, a qualified electrician must be called out to connect the cables to the main electrical system in your home.
Cost consideration
When purchasing under-floor heating, take into account the size of your room, which system is best for your house, and also the cost of your new flooring material. The cheapest option when it comes to installation is the electric/dry system. However, if you’re after energy efficiency, water-based systems cost significantly less to run than dry systems and radiators. This is because heat is more evenly distributed and runs at a lower temperature than radiators.
Mix and match
Under-floor heating doesn’t need to be laid down in every room. You may decide to have radiators in some rooms and install under-floor heating in other areas that get cold more easily.
